What is Cover Kids?
Cover Kids is Cincinnati Family’s annual contest in which local kids compete for a chance to be on a cover of the magazine during the course of the next year.
How does the contest work?
Parents should pre-register their children by signing up here. The first 200 children to register will be accepted into this year’s contest. On Sunday, Aug. 13, parents should bring their registered children to Cottell Park in Mason (5847 Irwin Simpson Road) during their selected hour. Check in at the Cincinnati Family table to pay your $5 minimum donation fee to support the all-inclusive playground, Common Ground, and collect your goody bag and name tag. Children will be escorted to a staging area where photographers from Flash Photography and Cincinnati Family will take a photo. Our editorial staff will choose one winner from each age category (0 – 23 months, 2 – 5 years, 6 – 10 years). Winners will be announced in our September 2017 issue.
How many children may enter?
Cover Kids is open to the first 200 children to register.
Is there a cost to enter my child?
Yes, there is a $5 minimum donation to support Common Ground, the all-inclusive playground, and payable upon check-in on Aug. 13, 2017. The City of Mason will match donations, so parents are welcome to contribute more.
Can I enter more than one child?
Yes, you may enter more than one child. Twins/multiples will be counted as a single entry to be judged as a pair/group, unless the parent opts to have them judged separately (in which case, the $5 fee will apply to each child).
What are judges looking for when selecting winners?
We are looking for children who seem natural in front of a camera, and for those old enough, an ability to understand basic instructions like smile, tilt your head, etc. Mostly, we’re just looking for kids with a fun spark!
If my child wins, how soon will he/she appear on the cover?
Cover Kids winners will appear on the cover during the course of the next year. The editors work to match children to the appropriate themed covers that take place on a given month.
How do cover shoots happen?
Cincinnati Family staff will contact parents of winners a few weeks prior to a cover shoot to work out a schedule that accommodates all involved (parents, children, photographer, venue). Some of our cover shoots happen in a studio, others take place on location at various spots in Greater Cincinnati based on the theme of the issue.
What happens if you don’t get a usable cover shot of my child?
In the event we do not get a usable cover photo, we will schedule a re-shoot at a later date, for a different cover. In the event we are unable to obtain a cover photo during a re-shoot, we reserve the right to cancel any further obligation to a cover shoot.